Automobile seat



Nov. 13 i923.

E. C. WHITING AUTOMOBILE SEAT Filed Spt. 24 2 SheetsSheet 1 Nov. 131923.

E. C. WHITING AUTOMOBILE SEAT Filed Sept. 24, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2T'igA.

Patented or. J13, 119%..

. near ihidhtidh earner orator.

AUTOMOBILE SEAT.

Application filed September 24, 1921. Serial Ito. 502,990.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST C. WHI'IING,

a citizen of the "United States, and resident of Allston, county ofSuffolk, State of Mas- 6 sachusetts, have invented an Improvement inAutomobile Seats, of which the following description,'in connection withthe accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on thedrawing representing like parts. 1

This invention relates to-seats for automobiles and the like and it hasfor its object to provide a novel way of connecting the seat member orcushion to the seat frame so as to permit the cushion to be foldedagainst the back of the seat whenever it is desired to lift the cushionto get access to a compartment beneath the latter.

Automobile seats are commonly made so that whenever it is desired toobtain access to a compartment beneath the seat it is necessary to liftthe cushion entirely from the seat frame and deposit it in some otherlocation. My invention obviates this 25 necessity as it provides acushion or seat member which can be folded against the back of the seatwhenever it is desired to gain access to a compartment beneath the seat.

In order to give an understanding of my invention I have illustrated inthe drawings some selected embodiments thereof which will now bedescribed after which the novel features will. be pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a view partly in section showing anautomobile seat embodying my invention with the seat in it normalposition.

Fig. 2 is a imilar view showing the seat elevated and folded against theback.

Fig. 3 is a transverse view of the link connection between the seatcushion and seat frame.

Fig. at is an under side view of a seat showing one way of connectingthe links thereto.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the seat shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. '5 is an enlarged view of the link construction shown in F igs. iand 5.

Fig. 7 is a transverse view thereof.

In the drawings 1 indicates a-portion of an automobile which is providedwith a seat comprising a seat frame 2, a cushion or seat member 3supported on the seat frame and seat back 4. The seat frame 2 -is shownas enclosing a compartment 5 to which access may be gained by liftingthe seat member 3 off from the frame, said seat frame having an opening6 leading to the compartment. The eat frame is shown as having a rest orflange 7 surrounding the aperture 6 and on which the seat 3 issupported.

The parts thus far described are or may be all as usual in automobilesand form no part of my present invention.- In an auto-.

mobile seat embodying my invention the seat member 3 is connected to theseat frame 2 by means of links 8, there preferably being one link ateach end of the seat member and these links are pivoted to the underside of the seat member and to the seat frame so as to permit the seatmember to be folded up against the seat back 4 as shown in Fig. 2. Inthus raising the seat member the rear edge of the seat will first belifted thus tilting the seat about its front edge and then the seat canbe swung up into its open position, shown in Fig. 2, in which positionit will be readily sustained by the links. When the seat member is inthis position the opening 6 i uncovered so that access to thecompartment 5 may be readily had.

The links 8 may be connected to the seat frame and seat member invarious ways without departing from my invention. I will preferably makeeach link with the laterally-extending portion 9 at each end, saidportions 9 constitutin trunnions or pivots about which the lin mayswing. For securin the links to the seat frame I will prefera ly employarched straps 10 I which are secured to the flange 7 by screws or rivetsand beneath which the laterallyextending ends 9 of the links 8 arereceived. This makes a sliding pivotal connection be tween each link andthe seat frame. Where the bottom portion of the seat member on which thesprings 11 are supported is in the form of a grid work, as shown inFigs. 4 and 5 I propose to employ the swivelled clamping connectionshown 1n Figs. 6 and 7 for pivotally connecting the links of theseatmember. tion shown in Figs. 6 and 7 for pivotally connecting thelinks to the seat member. This connection comprises two clamping members12 and 13 which are adapted to be clamped to the strap or wire memberslet on which the springs 11 are sustained, said clamping members beingplaced on op posite sides of the strap or wires 14 and being clampedthereto by means of clamping bolts 15. These clamping members areprovided with slots 16 through which the clamping bolts extend thusproviding a necessary adjustment for the clamping bolts so as to enablethem to accommodate wires or straps which are spaced differently.

The clamping member 13 has swivelled thereto a member 17 to which theupper end of the link 8 is pivoted. This member 1? is shown as aU-shaped member which is swivelled to the clamping member 13 as shown at18 and the two arms 19 of the members 17 are provided with aperturesthrough which the end 9 of the link extends.

The purpose of swivelling the member 19 to the clamp is to permit theclamp to be secured to the seat member indifferent 10- cations asindicated in Fig. 4, which shows in full lines the two clamping membersfastened to two longitudinally-extending straps or wires 14. Fig. 4shows at the left end in dotted lines the clamping member set at anangle and secured at one end to a longitudinally-extending member 14 andat. its other end to a. transversely-extending member 14. At the rightin Fig. 4: the clamp is shown in dotted lines as attached to twotransversely-extending members 14. By using this swivelled constructionit is possible to place the clamping members in any desired angularposition.

The clamping member 12 is shown as formed with a loop 20 so that saidmember alone can be used for connecting the link to a seat having awooden bottom as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When used in this way the twoclamping members will be disconnected from each other and the clampingmember .12 may be screwed to the wooden bottom 21 of the seat 3 as shownin Figs. 1 and 2, the loop 20 forming a bearing for the trunnion 9 atthe upper end of the link. With the device constructed as illustrated,therefore, the clamping connection shown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be usedfor pivotally connecting the links either to a seat having a metal ridwork bottom or to a seat having a wooden bottom. In the latter case theparts 13, 15 and 17 are discarded and the part 12 only is used. Thesliding pivotal connection between the links and the seat frame isdesirable to permit the seat to have more freedom of movement inswinging it from closed to open position and vice versa. Furthermore byusing this sliding pivotal connection it is possible to fold the seatmember closer against the back when said seat member is in openposition, shown in Fig. 2 by simply sliding the lower pivot toward therear in the loop formed by the strap 10.

It will thus be seen that with my invention it is not necessary .toentirely remove the seat member 3 when it is tie-- sired to gain accessto the compartment 5, it simply being necessary to tilt the seat aboutits front edge and then to fold it upwardly against the back, as shownin Fig. 2. The links 8 operate not only to guide the seat but alsooperate to retain said seat in its open position. a

While I have illustrated some selected embodiments of my invention I donot wish to be limited .to the constructional features shown.

I claim.

1. In an automobile seat, the combination with a seat frame and a seatback rising therefrom, of a cushion member removably sustained on theseat frame, and links pivoted "to the under side of the cushion membernear its front edge and having a horizontally-sliding pivotal connectionwith the seat frame near its rear portion, whereby the cushion member"an be raised by lifting the rear edge thereof and then swinging saidcushion member upwardly and bat)"- wardly against the back,- said linksoperating to support the cushion in its raised position. y

2. In an automobile seat, the combination with a seat frame and a seatback rising therefrom, of a cushion member removably sustained on theseat frame, and a link at each end of the cushion member pivoted to theunder side thereof near its front portion and pivoted to the seat framenear its rear portion, whereby the cushion member can be raised into asubstantially-verticai post tion with the under face thereof restingagainst the back by lifting the rear edge of the cushion member and thenswinging the cushion member. upwardly and baokwardly, said linksco-operating with the back to support the cushion member in such raisedposition.

3. In an automobile seat. the combination with a seat frame, of acushion member removably sustained thereby, links pivotally connected atone end to the seat frame, bearings to which the upper ends of the linksare pivoted, a clamping device for securing each bearing to the cushionmember, and a swivel connection between each bearing and its ciampingdevice.

4. In an automobile seat, the combination per ends of the links areconnected, the axis with a seat frame, of a cushion seat memabout whicheach bearing member swivels ber removably sustained thereby, linkspivotbeing at right angles to the axis about which m ally connected atone end to the seat frame, the links turn.

5 clamping members adjustably clamped to In testimony whereof, I havesigned my the seat member and bearings swivelled to name to thisspecification. the clamping members and to which the up- ERNEST O.ITING.

